The leadership role of principals in managing learner discipline in secondary schools

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore how the principals should play their leadership roles in learner discipline management, to establish the challenges that principals encounter in managing learner discipline secondary schools, to determine the major causes of lack of discipline in secondary schools and to recommend strategies that can be employed by school principals to effectively manage learner discipline in secondary schools. In this research, the behavioural leadership theory formed part of the theoretical framework that was used in exploring the leadership role of principals in managing learner discipline in secondary schools. In this study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant individually to collect data. These interviews are conducted where the participants are situated in their own environment. The interviews were held after work, so that the school principals would not be disturbed from performing their daily duties. The population for this study was secondary school principals in Gauteng East District. From this population, a sample of principals from 10 secondary schools was selected. Some principals were not willing to participate in the study because it was the busiest time of the year for them, but all 10 principals who participated did so willingly. The recorded data from each interview session was transcribed verbatim. The data was then coded into themes. The principals will know what are the cause of ill-discipline, the strategies of addressing ill-discipline in schools and the challenges they will face when managing discipline in schools. With the above mentioned knowledge the principals will be well equipped to make inform decision when managing learner ill-discipline.